NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., May 21 (Reuters) - A former RutgersUniversity student was sentenced on Monday to 30 days in prisonfor a bias crime after he spied on his roommate's gay encounterin a case that drew national attention to bullying.

Dharun Ravi, 20, had faced a maximum of 10 years behind barsfor his conviction for using a webcam to invade the privacy ofhis roommate, Tyler Clementi, and an older man in their collegedorm room.

Clementi, 18, jumped to his death from the George WashingtonBridge in September 2010, days after learning Ravi watched themthrough the computer-mounted camera and used social media toencourage others to do so. Ravi was not charged with causingClementi's death.

In handing down the relatively light sentence, Judge GlennBerman emphasized that he never referred to Ravi's action as ahate crime - a term commonly used to describe bias intimidationlaws - but rather as a bias crime.

"I don't believe he hated Tyler Clementi. He had no reasonto. But I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity,"Berman said.

The judge then sentenced Ravi to 30 days in prison, followedby three years probation, 300 hours of community service as wellas counseling about cyberbullying and alternative lifestyles.

He ordered Ravi to pay $10,000 for a community-basedorganization that assists victims of bias crimes and to pay$1,900 in penalties.

The judge also pledged to recommend that Ravi, who was bornin India and grew up in the United States, not be deported. Asimilar recommendation was made by the older man, identifiedonly as M.B., in a letter his lawyer read in court beforesentence was imposed.

Berman said the prison time was punishment, in part, forRavi's efforts to get others to watch a second planned attemptto use the webcam, considered a bias crime, and for evidencetampering for destroying text messages.

The prosecution indicated it planned to appeal the sentence,which would otherwise begin on May 31.

As he listened to the judge, Ravi sat wide-eyed, far morestoic than moments earlier when he sobbed as his crying motherbegged the court for leniency for her son.

"Dharun's dreams are shattered and he has been living inhell for the past 20 months," she told the judge.

She spoke a few moments after Clementi's mother, both ofthem recalling meeting in the dorm room on the first day ofcollege, each remembering the other's son as somewhat cold andstandoffish.

MIXED REACTION FROM GAY ADVOCATES

Through her tears, Jane Clementi urged the judge to "do theright thing" and punish Ravi for his actions to show the worldhow wrong they were. She was stunned that even after Clementirequested a roommate change upon learning of the spying, nostudent or staff member from Rutgers University came to hisdefense.

"Why didn't any of them speak up and stop it? How did itspiral so out of control? They knew it was wrong, yet no onestopped, no one stood up to the mastermind, the 'computergenius'," she said.

After the sentencing, the Clementis, who had earlier plannedto make a statement to the media, and the Ravis rushed inseparate directions from the courthouse without comment.

The verdict prompted a mixed reaction from gay advocates,some of whom thought Ravi was being unfairly punished forClementi's suicide and should not be imprisoned. One who calledfor leniency was gay rights activist Bill Dobbs, who describedthe short sentence as a "relief."

"The judge went a long way to take the pressure of anout-of-control prosecution," Dobbs said.

But Garden State Equality CEO Steven Goldstein, who wantedRavi to serve prison time, said it was far too short. "This wasnot merely a childhood prank gone awry. This was not a crimewithout bias," Goldstein said in a statement.